Morning journal and courier., 1887-08-05
THE BRIDGEPORT ROBBERY.

Who Made Way With Ten Thousand
 Dollars Worth of Jewe1ry His
 Weapons and Tools-A Very Fine
 Collection of Diamonds, Dynamite
 and Fuse.
 George Faith, who has lived in Jersey City for the past two years, and who the police claim is one of the most expert cracksmen in the country, was arrested in that city yes- terday by two of Pinkerton's detectives on the charge of having stolen $10,000 worth of jewelry from G. W. Fairchild & Co.,, watch makers, of Bridgeport. Faith was immedi- ately taken before Justice Stilsing by the Pinkerton men, who stated the charge against the prisoner and produced the neces- sary papers. The court then formally de- livered the prisoner over to the two detec- tives Before the prisoner was taken away to Bridgeport he was allowed to consult with MT. Norman Rowe, whom he has engaged as counsel and who will go to Bridgeport to-day to look after Smiths interests.
 A special to the Hartford Times says: The Pinkerton men say the prisoner has done sttime" in several State prisons for safe breaking. Faith was arrested in this city some nine months ago, charged with having attempted to burglariously enter the Fuller building He was, however, acquitted on the charge, but the detectives say that he too has served time in the State prison of New York for breaking open safes. The police of this city at an early hour yesterday morning received word from Connecticut that Faith was wanted for robbery. Detectives were immediately sent to his residence on South street, but it was found that he was not there. He had gone down with his wife to Coney Island few days ago, and it was while returning this morning from that place that he was arrested at the ferry.
 The prisoner is 8 skillful machinist and can make some of the finest kinds of tools He has been rover for number of years, having lived for some time in every capital in Europe. The Pinkerton detectives are al- most certain that they have in Faith the man that burglarized Fairchild's store in Bridgeport about month ago. They say that he was seen in the neighbornood of Fairchild's store on the night of the robbery.
 Faith is thick-set man, about forty years of age, and is we'll known to many residents of the city. His wife works in dry goods store in New York.
 In conversation with his counsel, Norman Rowe, Faith said: ''I am as innocent of this charge as an unborn babe, and I can easily prove an alibi." Faith says further that he has no money.
 Faiths premises in Jersey City were searched and 8 startling array of burglars tools were found, including jimmies, wedges, lock picks, sledges, saws, braces, bits and over five hundred keys of various shapes, wax impressions of keys and books contain ing cipher entries.
 In the rear of the woodshed the officers found about ten pounds of dynamite cart ridges and lot of fuse and caps.
 Superintendent Banks, of the Pinkerton agency, says the assortment is the finest he ever saw. The collection will be taken to Bridgeport and used as evidence in Faiths trial.
 Mrs. Faith had expensive diamond jewelry which she claimed was her own. They will be held to await identification by Fairchild & Go.
 A curious discovery connected with the burglary was made yesterday afternoon. In the rear of the store is 8 skylight, designed to give additional light to the man who does the delicate work of engraving. Yesterday afternoon one of the men engaged in putting in the electric wires for establishing a burg lar alarm connection between the above and the police office noticed that the skylight was covered by dark cloth used by burg lars in screening the railing in front of the safe. The piece over the skylight core sponded to the piece placed in front of the railing, the ends where the roll was cut fitted exactly together. The object of the robbers in thus screening the skylight is 8 matter of conjecture. Private Watch man Taylor regards it as con frmation of his theory that the job
 
 that the operators feared their work might be delayed until after the break of day. and placed the cloth over the skylight so that in this event the interior of the store might have the natural tint which would render it difficult for an observer to distinguish objects inside. The cloth must have been placed over the skylight on the night of the robbery as it was not bought until that evening.
 Another interesting incident connected with the burglary that the police made public to-day for the first time was this: Landlord Sands of the Sterling restaurant and looking out from his window about 9 o'clock in the morning thirteen days previous to the burglary, saw two men on the roof of Fairchild's store. They were peering through the skylight, evidently talk ing note of the arrangements inside, which was an easy thing to do as the gas jets were burning. Another man stood in the rear door of Whites saloon, which was open. MT. Sands did not know what to make of the cir cumstance, and in his surprise uttered an ex- clamation. It had the effect of alarming the men on the roof, who hastily climbed down and disappeared through the door of the sa- loon. These were undoubtedly members of the | gang which afterwards committed the rob- ! bery. That they had a key to Whites saloon is shown by the fact that they obtained ac- cess to it by unlocking the front door on the | night the safe WAS cracked. The man who I so frequently called at the saloon and made l his calls for blackberry brandy a pretext for l going into the backyard evidently did not | limit his business to the daytime. He had l key to the place, an easy matter to obtain by ! taking an impression of the lock, and came | around to size up the scene of his future op- I erations at pleasure.
 George Fegh, alias Faith, Remington and | Heineman, the Dutchman, arrested in Ken | lucky to- day for the burglary of Fairchild's I jewelry store was brought to this city by l Detective Butler of Pinkerton's staff and I lodged at the Central police station. The I prisoner was identified by several parties as the man who visited several stores and made | purchases in this city just previous to the burglary. He will be given hearing in the l police court to morrow.